


where we started from

by empireofdirt



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Angst, First Meetings, Friendship, Multi, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Pre-Captain America: The First Avenger, Song Lyrics, Tears, a lot of cheesy angtsy pop, and pop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-29
Updated: 2014-06-29
Packaged: 2018-02-06 16:57:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1865454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/empireofdirt/pseuds/empireofdirt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>it's a long way down to the place where we used to be.</i> five songs. five, <i>damn</i> songs. that's all it took...</p>
            </blockquote>





	where we started from

**Author's Note:**

> words in **bold** = songs/lyrics  
>  words in _italics_ = flashbacks.  
>  first time with this type of fic so please be patient!

"Ok, so this Cap, is what they call pop music. Now it's completely different to that old stuff that you're always listening to but hey, you asked for this! So, I'm just being a good friend and doing what I'm told. And for the record Cap, this playlist is all Clint's idea, ok? If it were all up to me, it'd be the best of the 80's ok? I'm just sayin." Steve smiled as Sam's prerecord message ended, leaving a small pop-up message on the screen of the impossibly small player in his hand. _begin playlist 'the best of the pop?'_ He gingerly placed the ear buds into his ears, wincing as they dug into the sides, finally settling into an awkward resting place. No matter what Sam said, nothing could beat a good old fashioned record player. He placed one hand into his jacket pocket, glancing down at the message in his hand, wishing that every decision could be as easy as pressing 'ok'. He sighed, touched the screen and shoved both hand and player into his pocket, head down low as he exited his apartment.  


**ice cream \- sarah mclachlan**  
  
and it's a long way down  
it's a long way down  
it's a long way down to the place  
where we started from  


_  
"Look, it's Stevie boy." Young Steve sighed, burying his head as far as he could into his notebook. His hand gripped his pencil like a vice, the lines in his drawing becoming harder and harder. "Hey Stevie boy? " Harder. "Hey, dummy? Can't you hear me?" Harder. "Or are you like Jason, mute and an idiot?" Snap. Steve jumped up, his traveling magic show forgotten as it fell to the ground._

_"Don't." He warned, looking at the three boys standing before him with defiance in his eyes, hands bawled into fists at his side._

_"Oh, little Stevie is threatening us." Steve's fists tightened even more, looking into the eyes of all three as they began to laugh. "Maybe he's not Jason's twin after all. At least, he's not mute." Steve rushed the main boy, running into his stomach with all his strength, sending them both tumbling to the ground._

_"He is not dumb!" The boy was momentarily stunned, his head hitting the ground softly as Steve pushed him down, hands on the boy's collar. Suddenly he recovered, his eyes flashing with anger as he pushed Steve off him and rolled over, pressing his hands on Steve's shoulders and forcing Steve's head to hit the hard ground._

_"Don't ever touch me again, you idiot! I'm going to-"_

_"Hey!" A hand grabbed the boy's shoulder, pulling him off Steve and throwing him backwards onto the ground, the boy landing on his back with a grunt as the air flew out of him. "Pick on someone your own size." Staggering up, he and his two friends scampered away, shooting nervous glances behind them. "You ok?" Steve looked up, and nodded, taking the boy's offered hand and grunting as he heaved himself up._

_"Thanks." The boy nodded, looking Steve slowly up and down as Steve dusted his clothes off for the third time that week._

_"I've seen you around. You do this often?" Steve looked up and into the boy's amused face and frowned._

_"What do you mean, a lot?" He demanded._

_"Hey, take it easy!" The boy laughed, holding out his hands in surrender. "I wasn't meaning to-"_

_"I had him on the ropes."_

_"I know you did. I'm James," he said, smiling at Steve. "James Barnes. But you can call me Bucky."_

******

Steve pulled his hoodie down further over his cap, stepping out onto the dark street. He glanced up at the star studded sky above, seeing the patterns they made thru sad eyes, marveling at how they stayed the same all these years, maybe the only things that did. Six months. It's been six months since Bucky- no, Steve lowered his head, shoving his hands deeper into his pockets. Bucky wasn't the one who'd come back, The Winter Soldier was. Bucky was the one who had saved his life, pulling Steve from the river. And Bucky was the one Steve would find and bring home, or die trying.

**charlie brown \- coldplay**  
  
all the boys, all the girls,  
all that matters in the world  
all the boys, all the girls,  
all the madness that occurs.  
all the highs, all the lows,  
as the room is spinning goes  
we'll run riot,  
we'll be glowing in the dark. 

_  
"Bucky? You up here?" Steve grunted as he pulled himself up over the last rock, his breathing labored. He squinted in the dark, his eyes finally resting on Bucky as he sat on the rocks, his face upwards towards the sky. "Bucky!" He trudged over, collapsing by Bucky's side. "I've been looking all over for you! We're heading home."_

_"Have you ever looked at the stars, Steve? I mean really looked at them?" Steve looked at Bucky, then followed his gaze to the sky above. The stars sparkled like a million diamonds on a satin background, one in particular seeming to wink at them from above, it's bright blue a stark contrast against the jet black. "See that one?" Steve glanced at Bucky as he pointed to the winking star._

_"Yeah."_

_"What do you see?" Bucky asked._

_"A star Bucky, I see a star."_

_"Oh come on Steve!" Bucky grabbed Steve's shoulder, pulling him towards him. He smiled as he looked at Steve then back again, a look of excitement on his face. "You know what I see? I see our future!"_

_"Our future?" Steve repeated doubtfully. "In a star?"_

_"Come on, look at it! It's bright, shining, exciting. Just like our future is gonna be Steve. I can see it, our future bright and shining."_

_"Are we looking at the same star Bucky?" Bucky laughed, tightening his grip on Steve's shoulder._

_"Don't worry pal, we are."_

******

Steve stopped before crossing the street. Even though it was close to midnight, he more than half expected a car to come tearing out from nowhere and run him down, just to prove Natasha's point. New York City never slept. He jogged across the road, stopping in front of a shop window, it's neon display still lit, advertising the latest in Avengers gear available to buy. A cardboard cutout of Stark in his Iron Man gear centered the display and a variety of hero themed items surrounded him from a plush Hulk toy that promised lifelike Hulk 'smash' noises, to a small bow and arrow kit, boasting to be an exact replica of Hawkeye's in flashing purple neon. 

A small smile appeared on Steve's face as a light lit up a replica of his shield on the backdrop, promising more stock soon as all had sold out. His eyes fell on a blank space in the corner, where a small sigh advertised the newest coming attraction. 'Captain America and the Howling Commandos deluxe set coming soon.' They'd asked him for a photo of him and Bucky when they were younger, saying a set of the two as young men pre-war would be a hit. Steve refused and Stark had politely thrown them out on their ears. The last thing Steve wanted was to give his memories away for everyone to see.

**safe and sound \- capital cities**  
  
you could be my luck  
even if the sky is falling down  
i know that we'll be safe and sound  
i could lift you up  
i could show you what you wanna see  
and take you where you wanna be 

_  
_

_"Why am I wearing this again?"_

_"This is a tux and quit pulling on it, I paid for it you know punk."_

_"Isn't this your old tux?"_

_"I didn't say when I paid for it." Steve laughed, shaking his head. Bucky smiled back, grabbing Steve by the arm and pushing him forward. "Come on, it's photo time."_

_"You're kidding right?" Steve stared at Bucky, taking his steps two at a time to keep up with Bucky's stride._

_"Why?" Bucky glanced at Steve, still smiling._

_"Why?" Steve snickered, "Why would you?" Bucky quickened his pace, stepping in front of Steve and facing him, walking backwards._

_"Come on, Steve. Why else would I make you wear that?"_

_"To torture me."_

_"That too." Bucky grinned, pointing at Steve. "One photo, that's it. Then we do whatever you wanna do."_

_"Really? Whatever I wanna do?"_

_"Well," Bucky shrugged, smiling, "As long as it's actually fun." He grinned again, spinning on his heals and sprinting away. "Come on, punk!" Steve smiled and shook his head, watching Bucky, quickening his pace._

_"Jerk."_

******

The songs final notes ended, leaving a emptiness in Steve's ears. Frowning as he paused, digging out the iPod and wondering how the heck one fixed a broken record on this tiny thing. No soon as he'd swiped the screen, Natasha's voice filled his ears.

"Hey Cap. Sam and Clint are busy arguing with Stark over who's better between AC/DC and something called The Clash? I don't know or care, so I guess I'll do my part now." Steve smiled, still paused with his finger over the screen. "You know the photo frame in your room, the one of you and Barnes you keep staring at? Well, now you don't have to. Now Cap, don't panic, I haven't down anything drastic to it. I just thought you might like something smaller to stare at and now you can and take it with you too, maybe on those late night walks you take all the time? Anyway, take a look at your photos Cap. And walk safe, New York doesn't sleep you know. I told you."

Natasha's voice faded, along with the muffled sound of arguing in the background. Steve's fingers couldn't move quick enough as he minimized the screen and opened the pictures folder, clicking on the first photo. He held his breath, swallowing around the lump in his throat as the picture Bucky had dragged him to appeared on screen. A grinning Bucky stood next to Steve, his arm slung around his Steve's shoulders. Steve smiled softly, pressing his fingers on the screen like Sam had shown him, readjusting the zoom till Bucky's stupid grin was front and center. He swallowed again, switching the iPod off and dropping it into his pocket again, bowing his head as he trudged on.

**everywhere you go \- lawson**  
  
everywhere you go, my heart will follow,  
down this broken road, i will be your shadow.  
when your heart is burning cold, and your world keeps throwing stones,  
everywhere you go, i’ll be there. 

__

_"You still got that thing?" Steve glanced up as Bucky slumped down next to him, wiping the sweat off his dirt streaked face with the back of his hand._

_"Nah, just found it again. You think I'd be wanting to stare at your face all day?" Bucky chuckled, leaning his head against the wall behind him. A shell shot sounded in the distance, as Steve turned the photo towards the light. He glanced at Bucky, before turning his eyes towards the sky. "See that star?" Bucky glanced at Steve, following his gaze. He smiled slowly, nodding._

_"Yeah. The bright one, right?"_

_"Yeah."_

_"Doesn't seem so bright now, does it?" Steve looked at Bucky, then back at the sky. He held up the old photo of two smiling youths toward the sky, angling it so it lined up with the bright star above._

_"We're together, aren't we?" He turned to face Bucky who slowly smiled, nodded once and turned to face Steve._

_"Yeah. Till the end of the line, pal."_

******

"There you are Cap." Steve pulled out his earbuds, smiling at the night watchman.

"Evening Greg."

"Evening. Huh." Greg chuckled, opening the door wider for Steve to enter, "Check your time Captain, it's ten past midnight. You're late." Steve frowned, glancing down at his watch.

"What do you know, so it is." He shrugged and smiled at Greg apologetically, "Sorry to keep you waiting."

"Doesn't matter to me, Cap. The stuffs not going anywhere. Not on my watch." Steve smiled again, patting Greg on the arm as he passed. The first time he'd come after hours, he'd practically given the friendly old night guard a heart attack. But the next night he was ready for Steve, the lights on the display dimmed down, but still glowing strong. Six months and more stories and recipes than Steve could possibly eat from Greg's wife later, they still glowed. Steve approached the display slowly, taking it all in one piece at a time, like he was seeing it all for the first time. He wondered what Bucky would make of the displays. But that was stupid, Bucky wouldn't exactly come to the Smithsonian, would he? No, but Steve would show him one day. And they'd see it brand new together.

**i found you \- the white stripes**  
  
i found you, in my darkest hour  
i found you, in the pouring rain  
i found you, when I was on my knees  
and your light brought me back again  
found you in the river of pure emotion  
i found you, my only truth  
i found you with the music playing  
i was lost 'til I found you 

_It was his birthday. Not that he cared. He didn't really care about anything anymore, not since the bridge. Not since a part of him died. He sat at a cafe somewhere in New York, silently observing the life that passed him by, still marveling about how different everything was. He dug around in his jacket and pulled out the old photo, placing it next to the coffee in front of him. Bucky may be gone, but there was no way the jerk was missing his birthday. He touched the frame he'd just bought for the photo, old and worn in appearance, just like the two faces in the photo. No matter what it'd been thru, the photo seemed the same. And years from now, it still would. They still would._

******

Steve finished his rounds in the normal 12 minutes and 35 seconds he'd gotten it down too. Even though the bosses didn't mind, though Steve suspected that Tony had pulled some of his many strings to get the lights kept on, Steve still kept his time to a minimum. And finished the same way. He paused in front if the last display, pulling off his hoodie and cap and running his hand thru his hair.

"It's still shining Buck." He said softly, smiling, "It's still shining, just like you said it would." He ducked his head, putting his cap back on again and pulling it down over his eyes. "I guess the future hasn't come yet." A shadow passed over the display, and Steve smiled. "Time to call it a night, huh Greg?"

"Who the hell is Greg?" Steve spun around to find Bucky standing in the shadows, his face bruised and scared and severely needing a shave, his eyes bloodshot and tired. Steve opened his mouth to speak, a million and one words fighting for the chance to come out. But Bucky shook his head, swallowing as he looked behind Steve to the display.

"That's a terrible photo. Why'd you let them use it?" Steve smiled, shaking his head.

"You-" he paused, watching as Bucky studied the display, "You remember?" His eyes darted back and Steve's heart cracked into two as Bucky slowly shook his head, lowering his eyes to the floor.

"No," he said slowly, taking at tentative step into the light. "I don't. But I do remember..." He swallowed and met Steve's eyes, "That my name's James. But you can call me Bucky."


End file.
